BACKGROUND Due to advances in the diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart disease (CHD), the number of adults who are surviving with congenital heart disease (ACHD) is constantly growing. Until recently, the psychological effects of CHD had been widely neglected. Current research provides evidence for an increased risk of emotional distress in ACHD. The concept of illness identity attempts to explain how patients experience and integrate their CHD into their identities. The present study investigated illness identity in relation to clinical parameters and psychological functioning. Psychometric properties of the German version of the Illness Identity Questionnaire (IIQD) were examined. METHODS Self-reported measures on illness identity and psychological functioning (HADS-D) were assessed in a representative sample of 229 ACHD (38 ± 12.5 (18-73) years; 45% female) at the German Heart Center Munich. Descriptive analyses and multiple regression models were conducted. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to validate the IIQD. RESULTS The IIQD demonstrated good reliability. The originally-postulated four-factor structure could not be replicated. Anatomic disease complexity and functional status significantly influenced illness identity. Illness identity accounted for unique variances in depression and anxiety Maladaptive illness identity states (i.e., , engulfment and rejection) were associated with higher emotional distress, whereas adaptive illness (i.e., , acceptance and enrichment) identity states were linked to lower emotional distress. CONCLUSIONS Illness Identity emerged as a predictor of emotional distress in ACHD. Findings raise the possibility that interventions designed to target a patient's illness identity may improve psychological well-being and cardiac outcomes in ACHD.Increased risk of obesity and diabetes in shift workers may be related to food intake at adverse circadian times. Early morning shiftwork represents the largest proportion of shift workers in the United States, yet little is known about the impact of food intake in the early morning on metabolism. Eighteen participants (9 female) completed a counterbalanced 16 day design with two conditions separated by ~1 week 8 h sleep opportunity at habitual time and simulated early morning shiftwork with 6.5 h sleep opportunity starting ~1 h earlier than habitual time. After wake time, resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured and blood was sampled for melatonin and fasting glucose and insulin. Following breakfast, post-prandial blood samples were collected every 40 min for 2 h and the thermic effect of food (TEF) was assessed for 3.25 h. Total sleep time was decreased by ~85 min (p less then 0.0001), melatonin levels were higher (p less then 0.0001) and post-prandial glucose levels were higher (p less then 0.05) after one day of simulated early morning shiftwork compared with habitual wake time. REE was lower after simulated early morning shiftwork; however, TEF after breakfast was similar to habitual wake time. Insufficient sleep and caloric intake during a circadian phase of high melatonin levels may contribute to metabolic dysregulation in early morning shift workers.Human microbiota seems to play a key role in endocrine and reproductive systems. Fortunately, microbiota reproductive dysbiosis start to be treated by probiotics using typical species from genus Lactobacillus. This work presents the compiled and analysed results from the most up-to-date information from clinical trials regarding microbiota, fertility, probiotics and oral route administration, reviewing open access scientific documents. These studies analyse the clinical impact of probiotics administered on several endocrine disorders' manifestations in women mastitis; vaginal dysbiosis; pregnancy complication disorders; and polycystic ovary syndrome. In all cases, the clinical modulation achieved by probiotics was evaluated positively through the improvement of specific disease outcomes with the exception of the pregnancy disorders studies, where the sample sizes results were statistically insufficient. High amounts of studies were discarded because no data were provided on specific probiotic strains, doses, impact on the individual autochthon microbiota, or data regarding specific hormonal values modifications and endocrine regulation effects. However, most of the selected studies with probiotics contained no protocolised administration. Therefore, we consider that intervention studies with probiotics might allocate the focus, not only in obtaining a final outcome, but in how to personalise the administration according to the disorder to be palliated.Zinc oxide (ZnO) micro and nanorods were successfully prepared using Pandanus amaryllifolius and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) separately as stabilizers using the solution immersion method. Two types of ZnO seed layer were prepared using the same pre-cursor with the different stabilizers. The fabricated ZnO microrods exhibit absorption at ~375 nm as revealed from the UV-Visible absorption spectrum, and this is comparable with ZnO nanorods synthesized using HMTA. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement displayed a sharp peak corresponding to the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO microrods. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) of ZnO microrods showed average diameter at approximately 500 nm compared to 70 nm of those synthesized from HMTA. A new finding is the ability of Pandanus amaryllifolius as a green stabilizer to grow a dense ZnO microrod structure with high crystallinity. Results reveal that both samples from different stabilizers during the preparation of the ZnO seed layer greatly improved the morphological and structural properties and optical absorption of ZnO. The main outcomes from this study will benefit optoelectronic application, such as in ultraviolet (UV) sensors.Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a widely used trait for hybrid seed production. Although male sterility is caused by S cytoplasm (male-sterility inducing mitochondria), the action of S cytoplasm is suppressed by restorer-of-fertility (Rf), a nuclear gene. Hence, the genetics of Rf has attained particular interest among plant breeders. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/mps1-in-6-compound-9-.html The genetic model posits Rf diversity in which an Rf specifically suppresses the cognate S cytoplasm. Molecular analysis of Rf loci in plants has identified various genes; however, pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein (a specific type of RNA-binding protein) is so prominent as the Rf-gene product that Rfs have been categorized into two classes, PPR and non-PPR. In contrast, several shared features between PPR- and some non-PPR Rfs are apparent, suggesting the possibility of another grouping. Our present focus is to group Rfs by molecular genetic classes other than the presence of PPRs. We propose three categories that define partially overlapping groups of Rfs association with post-transcriptional regulation of mitochondrial gene expression, resistance gene-like copy number variation at the locus, and lack of a direct link to S-orf (a mitochondrial ORF associated with CMS).